Pride
by Espionage Commitment
Summary: A 7 Deadly Sins Story. Mayu Hidari is given the exceptional privilege to be employed as the lady's maid of Her Majesty's daughter, at the bequest of her friend from childhood, Yukari Yuzuki. When within the first day of her employment the queen suddenly dies from illness, Mayu finds herself the subject to a young and oddly tyrannical new monarch. (Part 1).
1. The Rain Started

**Before we get started, I want you to know that I wrote this three years ago at the request of my closest friend, having never completed a writing before and with the grammar and capabilities of a 12 year old. Forgive me. Please. This is the first of a series of 8 stories based on the Evillous Chronicles, created by Mothy. You have a long way to go. Now, this thing I generously call a story is _not_ in the canon universe of the Evillous series as it is today. I began it with total misconceptions about its structure and lore. So, this is my own imagination based solely off the original seven songs, plus "Servant of Evil." Yeah, I don't know why you would waste your time with this. Good luck.**

 **1: The Rain Started**

The first day of my new job ended with my dress soaking wet and a dead body. That was not the best day of my life.

I woke for the first time in my new home, the royal castle. My room was small, but bigger than what I was used to. The bed next to mine was empty. My roommate, Yuka was already in the servant's hall, where all the maids, footmen, butler, valets, and lady's maid would eat. I hopped out of bed and hustled to put on my new uniform. I pinned my hair up reluctantly, and placed the frilly, laced, black and red hat on my head.

My gold eyes glanced in the mirror next to the door. I loved my hair. It was pale blonde and the tips of the strands slowly became a rainbow of colors. I was born with it. My father thought it was "a sign that I would bring together the lands." He was pretty crazy. The lands were in union that day, but I can swear that it was no thanks to me, Mayu Hidari.

I looked at the clock on the wall, saw the late time, and swung out the door towards the servant's hall. Dodging two maids and a valet, I arrived at the hall and plopped down next to Yuka at the middle of the table.

"Oi, why didn't you wake me up?" I questioned Yuka. She turned and smiled at my makeshift hairdo.

"Because I wanted to see your hair when you only had five minutes to pamper it." She laughed. "And I am satisfied with the result." I pushed her and she pushed me back.

Yuzuki Yukari was my best friend since I was seven. She had light purple hair and eyes. We went to the same schools, including training to become servants in the land of purple. Most people had purple hair there, but it wasn't a big deal having my unique hair, unlike in the land of green. Yuka basically lived at my house until training. After that, we couldn't get hired at the same residence, so we didn't. I worked for a countess in the land of yellow while she got a job at the royal palace. We wrote to each other every week for a year until she said the queen's lady's maid died of a heart attack, and she needed a new one. The queen's name was Linda, and the king, Reginald, died weeks before of a rare disease. There was rumors that Queen Linda caught the illness, and Yuka told me that they were true, but she had more than a month to live. Being the trustworthy person Yuka is, the queen listened to her recommendation of me, and I hopped on the next train to the capital.

We hurriedly finished breakfast, and I rushed to my new employer's bedroom to dress her as Yuka, being a maid, began to clean the castle. The royal palace was the largest building I had ever been in. It was ten floors high with turrets stretching even higher and a basement down below. The castle inside and out were filled with ornate carvings all along the walls. The halls were filled with one-of-a-kind paintings and sculptures.

I made my way through the maze of hallways to the tenth floor. I ran to Queen Linda's room as fast as possible, opening the huge wooden doors. The queen's daughter, Rin, was kneeling next to her bed as I came in. I would be Rin's lady's maid after Queen Linda died. Until then, she was dressed by her nanny because she was only 13. I knocked the open door, and Rin looked up. Her eyes were filled with tears.

"Call the nurse! Call the nurse! She's dying! GO!" Rin screamed and waved her arms. In a moment of shock, I turned around and darted out the door. I started to hear drips on the roof as rain began to fall. I still heard Rin sobbing as I ran into an older woman wearing a plain pale blue dress and apron in the hallway.

"Where's Her Majesty's nurse!" I yelled at the woman.

"I am she. What is the problem? Is that lady Rin crying?" The nurse asked, staring in the direction of the queen's room.

"Y-yes. There's something wrong!" Without another word, the nurse rushed to Queen Linda's side and took out a thermometer.

"Lady Rin, how long has she been like this?" the nurse asked.

"Ju-just a few minutes. Clarice, is she going to be alright?" Rin stuttered.

"You! Who are you?" the woman, Clarice, asked.

I responded in a panicked voice, "I'm Mayu. I'm the new lady's maid."

"Run and call Doctor Suzune."

"Yes, ma'am!"

I skidded to a stop at a passing servant and asked where Doctor Suzune worked. She said that it was the second building to the right outside the palace gates. It was now pouring rain and my uniform was completely soaked. I raced through the grand entrance, the main gates, and a crowd of curious people. I nearly knocked down the door to her office.

"Are you Doctor Suzune?" I panted.

A girl that had light blue, nearly white hair sitting at her desk glanced up at me, automatically. "Yes. Who are you?"

"I'm Mayu, I work at the palace. Queen Linda-" I paused, trying to put events into words, "She's dying! Or she's bad! I don't know! Clarice asked me to get you."

"Okay, I get it." She stood up from her desk immediately, grabbed a medical bag, and quickly, but calmly, started towards the castle as I scrambled to keep up with her.

We arrived at the room as quickly as we could. Rin was on a love seat in the corner of the room, and Clarice was the one kneeling by the bedside. For basically the whole day, Dr. Suzune and Clarice were talking in medical terms and preforming tests with different contraptions as I sat next to Rin. She was sobbing most of the time. It was strange because I was only a few years older than her, but I tried to comfort her in any way I could. I kept saying, "It's okay, it's okay." The pitter-pats of the rain continued the whole time.

At 7 P.M., Rin fell asleep. At 9 P.M., Queen Linda was dead and the rain finally stopped.


	2. The Funeral

Three days later, I walked down with all the servants to Queen Linda's funeral.

I wore a black dress with a red bow at the collar. Yuka sat next to me during the sermon and speeches. We had to sit in the back, but I could see Rin up front. We were outside, sitting in white chairs in rows behind a black closed coffin. It was extremely hot that day. Only close friends, family, and servants could go to the funeral. If that was not the case, then the whole kingdom would have showed up. Everyone loved the queen. She was benevolent and merciful.

This was how the kingdom works: The Capital and lands of purple, green, blue, etc. were their own independent nations, but the "Capital" was very influential. The monarchs of the Capital were sort of considered the monarchs of all the lands of color as well. The lands could go to war, though, and they traded with each other like normal countries. They were at peace with each other at that time. Traveling between lands was easy, as well.

I noticed that all the kings and queens of the lands of color were there. Their hair colors alone made a rainbow. I heard sobbing every couple minutes from various sections. A few seats away from me was a twenty-something year old girl who looked extremely exasperated. She constantly fixed her hot pink hair and checked the time.

"Oh my gosh, when will this stupid thing be over?" she asked a blonde footman next to her. He looked at her with cold resentment then continued to face forward. "Whatever. Unlike you, I don't like attending funerals of people I never talked to." She flipped back her hair again and crossed her legs.

 _What a brat._ I thought. I may have never known Queen Linda, but I could tell that she was a good person. I ignored the rude girl for the rest of the funeral.

A half an hour later, Queen Linda's casket, decorated with exquisite flowers, was lowered into the ground. Her family was then left to pay their respects. All the guests, except the servants, went to the ballroom of the castle. We had to gather in the servant's hall for luncheon.

"That was _so_ tedious," the pink haired girl said. "and _boring_ , too." Everyone ignored her. The blonde boy from earlier's face beamed red. He seemed livid with her.

"Who is that prat?" I whispered to Yuka over our beef stew.

"That's Oheina. She's always complaining about something. I wouldn't pay her any mind. She's just a maid," Yuka replied.

"And him?" I nodded towards the blonde boy.

"He's Len. He's really nice. He doesn't talk much, though, and-" she added in an even more hushed whisper, "he often just disappears. No one knows where he goes."

"Interesting." The table became silent.

After a few minutes, Oheina grabbed a roll from the center of the wooden table, took a bite, and spit it out melodramatically. " _That_ is terrible!" she looked at the cook in disgust. The cook was a little older than I was and looked shocked and slightly hurt. "How could you mess up a roll, you stupid girl!"

Len stood up from the table. Everyone, even Oheina, turned toward him. "You. Selfish. Brat," Len said. His head was down and his teeth were clenched. "You only care about yourself and have no respect for the living or the dead," and he sat right back down and continued eating.

Oheina stared, shocked, at Len. Now, everyone was staring at her. She slowly looked down and continued eating as well. And then, the bystanders to this exchange did the same.

After we all finished, the footmen and butlers started filing out of the kitchen with trays of food. For an hour, I had to just stand in the corner with my hands folded. doing nothing. Then, I was dismissed and I went to my room, opened the cupboard, took out my stuffed bunny, and sat down on my bed, staring at it. Her name was Mimi. Mimi was my only friend for the year I spent without seeing Yuka. She had two red buttons for eyes and a small black nose. There was no mouth. The ears had heart-shaped holes in the ends of them. A zipper ran down the middle of her stomach with lace on either side. She also wore a black travelling cloak with lace.

Yuka made me Mimi for my tenth birthday. Her parents were tailors, and we were obsessed with bunnies. We were both fond of them in the palace, too. Yuka told me that she was trying to convince the head maid, who commanded all the female servants, to let her get a bunny as a pet. The head maid said maybe, if Yuka worked hard.

Yuka came in half an hour later. I was reading a book in a chair in the corner. She gave me a weak smile and flopped on her bed.

"The rich are too boring," she said as she made herself comfortable. "But, they're rich, so they don't need to be interesting to make friends."

I looked up from my novel, stood up, and stretched. "True," I said

"Half of them are either involved with the mafia or married to their cousins. It's messed up."

"I've heard this before." Yuka liked to rant about the rich in her letters a lot.

"By the way, you start tomorrow," she added, grabbing her own large book from under her bed.

I sighed. "What do you know about Rin, anyway? Does anyone know her?"

"Not really. Rumor has it-" Yuka paused for dramatic effect, "that _Len_ talks to her."

"There's a lot of rumors in the place."

"It's a big place, and the poor are very interesting. That can get you enemies as well as friends."

I thought about that for awhile. Len and Oheina and Rin and everyone else in that palace were very interesting, indeed.


	3. Second First Day

The next morning, I was eating breakfast bright and early with the other staff. No words were exchanged because this was the first "normal" day of work, and a "normal" day of work had no time for conversation. I stuffed my toast down my throat as quickly as possible and shot out the door, but I saw Virgo, the lead maid, stop Yuka in the hall. I couldn't help but listen in.

"Yukari, I've been thinking about your request about the bunny," Virgo said. I peeked around the corner, and I saw that Yuka had a hopeful expression. "And I think it would be a good idea for the staff to have pet to cheer them up," Yuka gave a giddy smile. "So, go for it. You will have to take care of him or her, of course. Clean it, feed it, etc, etc." Virgo had pinkish purple hair and bright blue eyes. Yuka said she was scary, but I liked her. Virgo was holding out her hands, trying to calm Yuka down. It didn't work. "Yukari! We are still in mourning. Don't look so happy," Virgo scolded, but she was smiling too.

And so was I, but I had no time to to fantasize about rabbits. I continued to hurry up the building. I was determined to not be late on my second first day.

I sprinted past butlers and maids, juggling plates, sheets, and pillows, to Rin's room, which was down the hall from Queen Linda's old bedroom. Every mirror was covered in the hallways, bathrooms, and bedrooms. They would stay that way for a week after her death. It was very depressing. I knocked on Rin's door. She beckoned me in.

Rin was already sitting on her bed. Her face was held high. She looked at me very differently than she had before. It was like she was looking down on me.

"Hello. I don't believe we have been properly introduced," Rin said monotonously. "I am Queen Rin. You will address me as your kind addresses all of mine, as Your Majesty."

I rose an eyebrow, but tried to ignore the "your kind" comment. "Yes, Your Ladyship." I curtsied slightly. "And what would Her Majesty wish to wear today?"

"I shall wear the blue-green dress in the closet. Fetch it for me." She replied swiftly with a wave of her hand towards a large wooden cupboard in the corner.

"Yes, Your Majesty." I walked over and opened the cupboard. It was full of complex beautiful dresses of all different colors. I scanned the rows of dresses until I found a teal one. I pulled it out and laid it down beside Rin on the bed she was sitting on.

"Don't wrinkle it you peasant!" Rin exclaimed. I took a step back. Peasant? Did she call me a peasant? She looked at me like I was the one at fault. I didn't want to argue with the queen of such a powerful kingdom.

"I- um I'm so sorry, Your Majesty. Please forgive me," I stuttered.

'Hmph." She closed her eyes and turned away from me, her arms crossed like an eight year old. "It is fine. It is your first day. You are off the hook. _But,_ don't mess up again, got it?" She opened one eye to look at me. I nodded.

I proceeded to dress her and do her hair. By the time I was done, she was gorgeous. The color of the dress matched her eyes perfectly. She looked like her mother. Her golden hair and and teal eyes were identical. They were unforgettable.

Rin turned and stared at herself in the mirror. "This will do. I expect my hair to be less like an old lady's tomorrow." She sighed. "I'm going to breakfast. You are dismissed until 5:00 pm. Then, you will dress me for dinner." With that, she strutted out with her head held high. I stared at the door a minute after it was closed. _Wow._ I thought.

I gathered her perfectly white sleeping gown, light pink bed sheets, and just-as-pink pillow cases and stumbled out into the hallway. Now in less of a rush, I walked down to the washing room in the basement. It was down the hallway from the kitchen and servant's hall. There, Len was polishing shoes.

His head was straight down, so I couldn't see his face. His hands were moving back and forth with precision. The room smelled of shoe polish and soap. I put down my bundle on the counter next to the washing basin.

"How's your first day going?" He asked abruptly. I looked back at him. He was still facing down.

"Uh. It's not what I expected," I answered, truthfully. "Her Majesty seems..." I paused to find the right word. "tense."

"She's a wonderful person. She is. No, matter what Oheina says. Remember that."

"Yeah, Oheina's kind of full of it. I wouldn't insult my dead enemy like that." I turned, picked up the basin, and started filling it with water.

"Well, the whole world is her enemy. Her only friend is herself." Len started rubbing the polish faster. He seemed to have a temper when it came to Oheina. I started to wash the sheets. "She shouldn't take it out on Rin. I-I mean Her Majesty," He fumbled.

"Don't worry. I won't tell. I remember when I first started working for my first Lady. Whenever I messed up her name, the butler would make sure I didn't eat dinner. It sucked," I said. "So do you know Her Majesty? Like, _know_ her know her?"

"Of course not! Why would a footman know the Lady of the house?" He convinced me.

"Alright, alright. Just rumors, you know?" I said.

"Don't believe every rumor. Especially ones about me." He looked up from the black dress shoes. His eyes were full of determination. They were like that the afternoon Oheina insulted Queen Linda. His eyes seemed familiar. They were teal, and his hair was golden just like...

He noticed me staring. He looked nervous all of a sudden and dashed out without another word. I walked to the doorway and watched him lunge down the hallway.


	4. Blue, Green, and Red

Eight days later, someone was jumping up and down on my bed at my feet. I blinked open my eyes, and saw Yuka mouthing something. Then, I realized she was chanting something.

"Mayu. Mayu. Mayu. Mayu. Mayu. Hey, Mayu. Mayu. Mayu Mayu- CHAN!" She sang.

"Argh," I sighed, rubbing my eyes with the palm of my hand. "You suck. Get out." I push her off my bed with feet. She hopped off the floor with a smile still plastered to her face.

"But, Maaaayyuuu," Yuka drawled. "Today's. the. DAY!" She flopped back on the the foot of my bed. "WE. ARE. GETTING. A. BUNNY!"

A bolted upright. "BUUNNNYYY!" I screamed. We both hopped off my bed and exchanged giddy expressions.

That day was indeed the day we were getting a bunny. It was our favorite day of the week-Saturday. Rin specifically told me that every Saturday, she would be gone in the afternoon until supper. At the time, I really didn't care where she went. The middle of July was hot. The sun beat down upon everyone, but that didn't dampen our spirits in the slightest. We were to eat breakfast, do our morning work (cleaning for Yuka, dressing Queen Rin for me), get changed into our town clothes, then head out.

We skipped to the servant's hall together and hopped in our chairs. Len was already there. I already told Yuka about Len's strange behavior and my suspicions. She urged me that if Len was related to Rin, then he would be a prince, not a footman, and to let it go. I grudgingly agreed, but I would not let it go to myself.

Len avoided my gaze, like he has been for the past week, and sat quietly with his head down. Slowly, everyone started to be filled. I had to bite my tongue to keep myself from smiling. When the food started to come out, I noticed it was a little less food then what we were getting last Saturday. I thought it must it must have been cutbacks. Yuka and I anxiously ate and lunged out to complete our work.

I arrived at Rin's room at exactly 8:00 am, just as I was instructed to do every day. I opened the door. The second I did it, I realized I didn't knock. _Crap._ I thought. I had never messed up on something so stupid before. Rin didn't hear the door open for she was sitting at her bed, unfazed, staring dreamily at a photograph. _Thank God._ I thought. I closed the door, silent as a mouse, and knocked. I heard a fumbling on the other side, then a "Come in!"

Rin was standing straight next to her bed, her hand ominously positioned behind her back. "Good morning Your Majesty." I addressed her.

"Yes, yes." She paced across the room, her hand still behind her back. "I would like to wear something dark blue, today. A-and-" She added as I took a step towards the wardrobe. "Pick something less...complicated."

"Yes, Your Majesty." I replied, a little perplexed. Rin regained her composure. I scaled the dresses. She seemed to have gained a few new ones. All of which, were a deep blue. I picked a simple one, with a white strap at the waist and a sweetheart neck line. I turned to show it to Rin, when a square paper fell to the floor. I looked at it as it fluttered down. It was a picture of a blue-haired man smiling. I looked up at Rin's face. She looked frantically at the photo falling down and snatched it before it hit the floor.

"Did you see it? DID YOU SEE IT, PEASANT?" She yelled. I shook my head and stepped back. Whatever the problem was about a picture, I was sure she didn't want me to have seen it. She stood back and looked relieved. Then, looked at the dress I was clenching on to. "Yes that will do." I was surprised she didn't claim that I wrinkled it, because I had, but I numbly went along with dressing her and trying to make her makeup the best I could.

I was dismissed immediately after I snatched Rin's sheets and such. I zoomed down the floors and saw Yuka, already at the front door in her traveling cloak. "What took you so long?"

"Long story. I'll meet you here in five minutes." I replied, still sprinting with my arms wrapped around a basket. I had done a lot of running in the past eight days.

I screeched to a halt outside the laundry room and opened the door. Len was there with another photograph. What was it? Stare-creepily-at-random-pictures-in-mysterious-manners day? He didn't hear me open the door. People seem to be absorbed in pictures today. I glanced over his shoulder. The picture was of a beautiful peasant girl (I could tell by the clothes) with long aqua hair. _She must be from the Land of Green_ , I thought, _Only they have hair that color, they're fussy about it too._ Len looked around, startled.

"I-um." He looked at the door _. He is not about to-_ He did. He bolted for the door and succeeded. I sighed. I had no time. I placed the sheets next to the basin, I was going to wash them after our venture, went back my room, swiftly dressed to my casual clothes, and met Yuka at the grand entrance for our half-a-day off.

As we exited the gates, I noticed a red-headed girl staring intently at the castle. She had her hands up against the metal fence and had worry- or was it malice?- in her eyes. I couldn't handle any more weird people for the day, besides Yuka, so I ignored her.

We walked two miles to the pet shop. I didn't tell Yuka about my strange morning because I promised her I wouldn't discuss any conspiracies about either Rin or Len.

We knew where the shop was for the screeching and howling of animals could be heard a street away. Ten minutes later, we were exiting the shop, a black bunny in Yuka's arms. Our screams of delight were heard over the noise of the animals and the people, all the back to the castle.


	5. Daughter of Purple

Two weeks later, Yuka and I were playing with Overlord of Shadows (Shade for short), the bunny early in the morning. The past couple weeks were less stressful than my first. I had the layout of the palace memorized and schedules down. That Saturday morning, we were feeding Shade on Yuka's bed.

"Oh. My. Gosh. YOU ARE SO KAWAII," Yuka exclaimed for the third time that morning. "My eyes can't comprehend the level of adorableness."

Shade was hopping up and down, lifting her front paws. Yuka was so cheerful. I smiled at her for a second, then bounced up and said, "We should go get breakfast now. I have another free day so, we can do bunny stuff after morning work."

"Myaaaaaaaaaaaaa." Yuka lied down. "I hate work."

I walked over and pushed her off the bed. "Mush your bum."

She sighed, but reluctantly stood up.

We arrived at the table a minute later. Next to me, a footman was reading the newspaper. I looked over his shoulder. He shrugged. The headlines read:

FAMINE CONFIRMED: FARMERS CONFESS ON TERRIBLE CROPS

Another story was plastered to the front page:

GIRLS OF ALL AGES OVER 13 CONTINUE TO GO MISSING ACROSS ALL KINGDOMS: list of missing names on page 3

I sighed. _That explains the deteriorating meal sizes._ I picked up my fork and started eating. Five minutes later, the proud butler came in with the post. I received letters from my parents every Sunday, so I didn't give the butler a second glance. But then he said, "Yuzuki Yukari." She looked up, confused. Her parents never wrote to her, and she never had any other real friends besides me.

"U-uh. Are you sure you read the name right?" She stammered.

"I am pretty sure," he responded. Yuka extended her hand and slowly picked it up from the butler's hands.

She turned to me. "I-it's from my parents." My eyes widened.

Yuka's parents were jerks. More than jerks. They were an indescribable sort of ass bucket race. They were maybe even evil. Yuka was born in the land of green into a wealthy family. BUT OF COURSE, she didn't have green hair. Therefore, her parents dumped her in the land of purple with a terrible nanny and only came once every year to see her. Just because she had purple hair instead of green. So, she is basically my sister. My family is her family. _Why did they write to her? Then of all times?_

Yuka looked at the address for a second, her eyes gaunt, and ripped it in half. Then, she ripped it again and again. Everyone looked at her. _I_ looked at her. She was always a happy person, but when reminded of her parents that hated her, she seemed totally different. You would have never guessed in that moment who Yuzuki Yukari really was.

I put my hand on her shoulder. "Mate," I whispered.

That seemed to have snapped her back into reality. She looked at me confused for a second. Then quickly looked down and continued to eat. I glanced at Len. He was staring with curiosity at Yuka. He saw me and ate too. I was rather annoyed by Len's inability to look me in the eye ever since the day in the laundry room.

When the meal was nearly over, the butler stood up from the table. "Now, I would like to address the matter of Her Majesty's birthday ball." Silence was shrouded over the table. "As we all know, servants do not attend balls or parties at their own home besides serving appetizers before the dancing." A few servants nodded. "But, Her Majesty requested someone to be there. I do not know why, so do not ask me, but her majesty wants Miss Mayu to attend."

The unbroken silence intensified. It was my turn to be stared at. I blinked. "That is all," he added and left the table. I wasn't done eating, but I lost my appetite. I stumbled out of my chair and left to go to Rin's room. Len's eyes followed me out the door.

I briskly walked up to Rin's room. She was standing emotionless at her bedside. "Took you long enough," she commented as I walked in.

"Why am I invited to your ball?" I asked suddenly.

Rin's shoulders straightened. "Firstly, you will address me as 'Your Majesty'. Secondly, that is matter I shall discuss with tonight, when you are dressing me for bed.

I was in no mood to question her motives. "Okay, Your Majesty," I responded, "And what would Your Majesty like to wear today?"

She wanted dark blue to say the least. Surprise, surprise. I couldn't help pondering the possibilities of that night's conversation with the most powerful monarch in all the lands.

When I was in the grand hallway, basket of sheets in arms, I heard a scream. Next thing I knew, Yuka was scrambling down the hall, chasing Shade, the bunny. She was like a streak of black across the golden flooring with a streak of purple closely following. Yuka pushed passed me and I followed.

"Wait-Yuka!" I shouted after her and held out my hand in a fruitless attempt to catch her.

"SHHHHHHHHHHAAADDDEEEE!" She screamed. The bunny was so very fast.

My legs started to ache. Shade pranced up the stairs and-

There was a scream. Then-

 _Crunch._

The most dreadful sound I had ever heard in my life. The sound of baby bunny's neck cracking.

Everything was black for a second. Rin's foot came into view. Her foot pressed down against a bunny's skull. Shade's skull. Yuka fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face.

Rin looked down at the Shade's body. "What a pest." She promptly kicked her corpse away like trash and walked past Yuka's sobbing body with disinterest. My mouth was open. She glanced my way and gave a kind of smirk. _What could this evil woman, the most powerful monarch of all the lands, want to discuss with me?_


	6. Message in a Bottle

That night I was knocking on Rin's door at 10:00 pm, the time I dress her for bed.

I didn't here a response right away. It was deadly quiet. The door suddenly opened and hit my right temple.

"Agh!" My head stung for a second, but I lost notice quickly as I saw a male stranger pass through the door. His black hair glinted against the candles. He had a red military uniform covered in badges and medals. His epaulets and thick black boots made him intimidating, but his face was soft and kind.

"Oh, I am very sorry, miss," He noticed me grasping my skull.

"It's fine." I stammered.

"Well, sorry then. I am in a hurry." He waltzed his way around the corner and out of sight.

"Don't just stand there! Come in quickly!" Rin shouted from behind the threshold.

I did as I was told and stood face to face with Queen Rin. She seemed exasperated either by the conversation she had with the strange man or the fact I existed.

"Who was that?" I asked, then quickly added, "Your-your Majesty?"

"Just the head of the Royal Guard. No one you should concern yourself with...for the time being." She dismissed. I skeptically looked at her.

"Anyway, you must be wondering why you will be attending to the most elite party of all the kingdoms?" _I didn't except your invitation you know._ I wanted to say, but I simply nodded. "Please take seat." She gestured towards two love seats in the back of the room.

I slid into the soft plush cushions and crossed my legs and arms. Rin swooped into the chair across from mine. "I have a proposal." She paused for my reaction. I adjusted my arms to look more sassy. Rin cleared her throat. "I need someone on the inside." I raised my eyebrows. "The inside of this house. I am asking you to become my ally. There are certain things I cannot do myself." I was surprised she admitted to that. She was obviously the most prideful person I had ever met.

"And if I refuse?" I asked.

"You and your family and your friends will die," she said simply without emotion except a smile crossed her face.

I jumped up from my seat, my eyes narrowed. "Now, now. Don't be so dramatic. Sit down." I continued to stand. "Sit DOWN." She yanked my arm down. I was shocked bur regained my composure. _Do not show weakness. Do not show weakness._ "Now, are you sworn to secrecy?"

I nodded. "Good. I have some things to explain before we move on. First of all, I have a twin brother-"

"Len," I butted in. She looked curiously at me for a second, then smiled.

"You are smarter than most of the staff around here. Also, there is a man, and I..." she blushed slightly.

"The blue-haired man," I finished, "You love him, right?"

She looked more surprised at this knowledge. "Y-yes. That is correct. Let me explain Len first, shall I?" I nodded. "My father had a little brother. And he would be next in line for the throne. My father was always getting ill so it was going to be his in no time. But then my mother was pregnant." She paused. "He knew that if it was a boy then he would be next in line. So, when we were born, he took Len and I stayed. My uncle put Len up for adoption and lived with a poor family in the land of green."

I closed my eyes and nodded. "Go on," I urged.

"Anyway, about two years ago, my mother and I were walking in the land of green and Len saw me and ran up to meet us. My mother was shock to say the least. I was shocked to. Turned out, I had a twin brother. My uncle died the year before, but the people who adopted Len still had-still has- full custody. A story like this would leak to the press and ruin the Capital's reputation. So, Len signed up to be footman so he could see my mother." She took a long breath. "I have never told this story to anyone. It is now just you, me, and Len that know. I can threaten you with everything under the sun, but I ask you to keep our secret as an ally as well as a...Lady's maid slave person." She smiled at me.

I opened my eyes. I waited a few moments before I spoke, "Okay. I will keep your secret, but what is so important that you had to tell me?"

Her face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Oh, thank you! All you have to do for now is give this-" she pulled out a glass bottle with a rolled up piece of paper inside. "-to Len!" She extended her arm and I grabbed it.

"That's it?" I asked.

"For now. But, it is important for us to communicate in secret. You and I can talk and no one would find it fishy, though."

I nodded. I understood. "Why the party, then?"

"I have invited Kaito!" Rin seemed excited. "But, I need someone to keep an eye on him while I am obligated to mingle. Make sure he is having a good time and that he doesn't fawn over some other girl-God forbid!"

"Okay. That's easy enough."

"Yay!" She exclaimed. "You can go now. Give the bottle to Len!"

I walked out in a mixture of feelings. I spun the bottle in my hands. _What a strange way to communicate._ I walked downstairs and opened the laundry room door.

There was Len, polishing shoes like he does every day.

He looked up from the shoes. He looked surprised and tried to make a break for the door-as always- but I blocked it. "SIT." I commanded. He did so quietly. I tossed him the bottle. He looked even more surprised. "From Rin." I said."...you blackmailing bastards." I mumbled on the way out.

It felt good to leave Len in the dark for once. To make him wonder what just happened. I smiled to myself as I plopped on my bed and fell right to sleep in my work clothes.


	7. Daiki

Yuka was crying... again.

She laid on her bed, tears streaking down her face. It was my daily wake up call for the past six days.

"YUKA," I moaned, "I am extremely sorry about Shade, but we have to move on. And waking me up a half hour early is not moving on."

"BUT SHHAAADDEE," She wailed, "She was-was so young a-and so precious."

I sighed, got up from bed, and sat down at Yuka's feet. "I know, I know. Life sucks, but Shade would want you to live full life." I waited, hoping that would cheer her up. She didn't respond, but she stopped crying. "And... I'll sew you a stuffed rabbit. A black one! It'll help Shade live forever in hour hearts."

"Okay..." She murmured.

After a moment of waiting there in silence, I hopped off the bed and decided to read until breakfast was ready. Yuka had been so overcome by grief that she didn't even ask why Rin invited me to her party. I was slightly annoyed by this. You would think her best friend was more important than a bunny, but alas, Yuka is Yuka.

A day after Shade's death, Len went back to his seclusive ways. I was very frustrated that he was such a sociopath. The only people he cared about was Rin and himself-and that green-haired girl.

***********  
Yuka and I sat at the servant's table, eating. Len was across the table and two seats left of me. He hadn't given me a glance so far. There was barely any food for us to eat. The famine had really taken its toll on the working class, but I lost my appetite anyway.

After breakfast, Len continued to avoid me. I gave up for the time being and headed to Rin's room. She was nervous and jumpy, but Rin didn't speak a word after I dressed her. All she did was give me a clear glass bottle with a rolled up note inside. I already knew what to do.

But, as I walked out, Rin called, "Wear a nice dress tomorrow!"

"I'll wear my best!" I called back.

"Also, don't tell people who you are! That would be unorthodox!"

"Sure!" I yelled and left the room.

I started to go back down four flights of stairs to the basement with my basket. I was in a hurry to get the message to Len. I sprinted down the hall. I darted around a corner and slammed into something.

When I opened my eyes, Len was there-on top of me. I blushed "Uh. uh. uh."

Len also blushed. "AH. SORRY SORRY SORRY!" He yelled as he scrambled up. "I-I was running and I tripped and..." He put one arm around the back of his head, clearly embarrassed.

"It's fine-it's fine." I stood up and brushed dirt off my dress. I looked down at the scattered cloth and toppled over basket I was carrying. I quickly began picking everything up.

"Here, I-I'll help." Len started picking up cloth as well. He was still blushing. He was kind of cute when he blushed.

After we got everything back in the basket, Len said, awkwardly, "Well, sorry again, and..." he shifted his feet and looked up and down the hallway to check if no one was listening. "So, uh, you're working with my sister now, huh?"

I nodded. "I know about Kaito too. I also know about the green haired girl-sort of- but I'm not sure Rin knows."

"DON'T TELL HER. Please, don't" Len pleaded.

"Alright, alright. Calm down. I have work to do, now."

We awkwardly said goodbye and moved in opposite directions.

I quickly washed Rin's sheets, pillow cases, and nightgowns and walked by the servant's hall to see if Yuka was done with her morning work. Then I remembered that the queen's birthday party was a day away.

Everyone was running around trying to organize jobs. I realized I was probably needed for something and burst in to ask what I could do to help.

"Oh, yes, Mayu! Do you have your morning work done?" Virgo asked as I approached.

"Yes! What can I do?" I asked, eager to help. I was still new so I needed to earn a good reputation.

"Ah, yes. We are..." she paused, thinking, "out of candles! We need more candles to light up the ball room. Can you run to the store and grab some gold ones? Here," she handed me some money. "Buy twenty, thanks." Virgo swiftly ran off somewhere else before I could even say "sure".

I sighed and walked to the front entrance, out the doors, and into the town. It didn't take long to walk to the shop, find golden candles, buy them, and head out. I carried a tout bag with twenty candles nested inside.

As I walked back, I spotted the black-haired man from outside Rin's room. I remembered that Rin said he was the general of the Royal Guard. After a moment, I realized who was walking with him-the creepy red-headed girl from outside the castle gates when Yuka and I were buying Shade.

The general seemed to notice me and waved me over. "Hello, again miss..."

"Mayu." I replied.

"Ah, nice to see you again. We were not properly introduced. I am Daiki, general of the royal guard. This is my wife, Meiko." Meiko curtsied. "Do you work for Her Majesty, then?"

"Yes. I'm her Lady's Maid." I responded before I remember what promised Rin. So I quickly added, "Don't tell her I said so."

"I see. What've you got in the bag?" He asked, motioning towards my tout bag.

"Candles! We are preparing for Her Majesty's birthday party, and we were low."

"Of course. We are attending tomorrow."

"But, Her Majesty and my husband never do get along, do you?" Meiko added.

"Well, no, not really. We have our disagreements, but do not tell Her Majesty that I said so. She has quite a temper," he said.

"I know that, alright," I agreed and smiled.

"I'm sure you do."

"Well, I have to go now. Preparations and all that." I started walking away.

"Of course. Maybe we'll bump into you tomorrow, then? Bye!"

"Bye!" I waved back at them. I thought they were very nice. _That explains why Rin hates him._ I smiled to myself as I traveled back to the castle along the stone road.


	8. Party Guests

A day later, I looked in the mirror at myself. I wore a black dress that sank to my knees. Around the hem of the dress, stitched piano keys stretched along the circumference. Three red bows popped out of the front-two above the piano keys, one right under my neck. Buttons and ruffles ran parallel down the center until my waist, where in the back my multicolored hair fell.

Yuka was staring at me, smiling. "You look so cute!" she yelled. "I wish you'd tell me why you were invited though..." She stood on her tiptoes and innocently smiled at me.

"Not happening," I said in response. Yuka sank back to her heels and pouted. "You know how strict Rin can be!" I added. I wanted to tell her that I was just protecting her, but knew that would arouse her curiosity even more.

"Whatever. Bring me back rich people food though." She heeded.

"Of course-crap!" I looked at the wall-clock, "I'm late!" I skidded out to the hall, yelling behind me, "Thanks for helping me with my hair, bye!" I grabbed my purse on the way out and tucked in a brown wrapped box inside.

Yuka shouted at me from the door, "Rich. People. Food. REMEMBER."

"'Kay!" I waved behind me and rushed out to the foyer, up the stairs and outside Rin's door.

"Come in!" Rin's muffled yell came from behind the door.

I opened the door and Rin was smiling and looking through her dresses at the wooden dresser _._

She turned around as I hesitantly edged toward her. "I have already picked out a dress. It's the golden one at the end." She stepped back and sat on her bed as I pulled it out. "Kaito is going to love it!" Rin squealed.

The ball gown was beautiful to say the least. The long sleeves, sweet-heart neckline top, and graceful skirt were gold satin. Ruffles edged along the bottom of the skirt and black lace went down the middle, along the neck line, and around the sleeves.

Rin looked certainly like royalty. Her hair glimmered like the dress and her blue eyes brought everything together. She stood after I was done with her make up.

"It's so pretty! Kaito will _definitely_ love it!" She spun in a circle in the mirror.

"You really love him don't you?" I asked, adjusting the four layers of cloth on Rin.

"Yes, I do. And he will be my husband soon enough!" Rin couldn't conceal her smile.

"You proposed?" I asked.

"Well, not yet but I'm sure he'll accept. We have known each other for a while now..."

I nodded, "I'm rooting for you-not just because you're forcing me to."

"Thank you. Really. Now, let's head down to the ballroom!"

I entered the ballroom before Rin. She had to wait outside until enough people got there to make a grand entrance. I adjusted my hair and dress as I walked deeper into the huge room. Golden candles lined the walls and chandeliers throughout the space. The only people there besides me were an orange haired couple talking in a corner and a long light pink haired girl wondering around the center, but before long the ballroom started filling up.

Most of the people I saw I didn't recognize, but I knew the second a blue-haired man came in that he was Kaito. I knew him from the picture Rin showed me more clearly after our arrangement. He was handsome with piercing blue eyes. I could judge from his attire that he was a prince-from the land of blue perhaps?

He walked around aimlessly, looking for something or someone. No one really noticed me watching him, which was great for me.

The room continued to fill and I saw Daiki and Meiko enter and I waved to them. They seemed confused at why a lady's maid was at the party, but people-important people- started bombarding them with questions so they didn't notice me slip away into the hallway outside the ballroom.

I just needed some air for a few minutes. I stepped backwards and lightly bumped into to someone. I turned around and it was a tall elderly butler I had never seen before with a platter in one hand. "Oh, sorry." I stumbled back.

He ignored my comment, "Are you Miss Mayu?" he asked.

"Uh, yes?" I skeptically took a step back.

"This is for you." I noticed the turned over paper on the tray and slowly picked it up. I looked down at it.

"Who's it-" I began, but when I looked up he was gone. "...from."

I examined the note before I opened it. It was crisp and had _Mayu_ on it with clean slanting cursive. The inside had only one large symbol on the bottom side. An intricate cursive yellow _1._

"What the-" I started, but Len popped up behind me in an instant.

"What's that?" He asked.

I gave a little shriek. "N-nothing," I closed it and placed in carefully in my purse.

Len gave a frustrated sigh. "Whatever." he mumbled.

"Anyway, why are you even here? You can be spotted by a guest with a knack for remembering faces."

"I want to see my sister make her entrance." He crossed his arms.

"Fine, but stay near the back entrance. That's what I'm doing anyway." I also crossed my arms. "Oh, yeah!" I pulled out the brown wrapped box from my purse. "Happy Birthday." I handed it to him.

He skeptically looked at me. "What?"

"Happy. Birthday. It's your birthday isn't it? Your twins if you hadn't noticed." I leaned against a wall.

He numbly ripped the packaging off and opened the black box that laid inside. A gold tie laid neatly in the box.

"Sorry it's kind of lame. It was last min-" Len hugged me.

I blushed as he said, "Thank you."

He stepped away and quickly added, "Oh, I hear the music, she's about to come in!" and he started toward the back door and I swiftly followed.

As I stood next Len at the back corner of the giant ballroom, watching Rin smile as she made her way in, I thought, _This might be a great night._

How wrong I was.


	9. Crimson Floor

Trumpets and violins sounded as Rin sashayed down the ballroom. Len leaned against the back corner, beaming at his sister. Rin eloquently walked toward Kaito and started up a conversation. Everything seemed to be going nicely.

Suddenly, the main entrance to the ballroom opened and a handsome man with long dark amethyst hair and matching eyes appeared in the threshold. He wore a deep purple double-button-down tailcoat with a white cravat.

He strutted down the hall and a flock of women glided towards him. I felt the urge to follow but Len said, "Wow. That's messed up."

I blinked a few times. _That_ is _messed up._ I thought. _Snap out of it!_ It was like a rope was tied around me and was forcing me towards the purple man. I hated the feeling and everything seemed cold.

Only a couple other girls resisted, including Rin and a turquoise-haired girl that must had just arrived.

 _Wait...it couldn't be..._

The turquoise girl was definitely the girl from Len's photo-the one he was staring lovingly at. A hotness welled up inside me. Surprise? Jealously?

She was very beautiful. Two green pigtails that fell to her knees and her vibrant green eyes seemed innocent in the candlelight. She wore a white frilly dress that reached her ankles, and a black bow was tied around her waist. Len twitched beside me.

"Miku?" He asked rhetorically. He crashed out through the door next to us and into the hallway I gave him the tie in.

"Wait, Len!" I raced after him, but it was too late. He was already around the corner and I was never a fast runner. He was gone.

I sighed and walked back inside to investigate Miku's ( _that was the name Len used for her)_ appearance.

When I re-entered the dynamic space as the violinists started a new waltz. I acted like I was just part of the decoration and fixedly stood in my corner. I observed Miku staring at Kaito. Kaito glanced back then returned the stare.

 _Do they know each other?_ I didn't have much time to finish my thoughts when Rin waved me over. She was speaking to the purple man with an obviously (to me) fake smile on her face.

"Duke Gakupo, this is my old childhood friend, Mayu. She was a duchess of the land of blue, but her family lost their fortune from bad investments, sadly." Rin ushered me in front of the strange man. _Nice lie._

"He asked about you," She gave a pretentious laugh. "Mayu, this is the Duke of Venomania, a dukedom in the land of purple."

"I see. Nice to meet you." I shakily bowed.

"The pleasure is all mine." He bowed back. I had never been bowed to before. It was kind of weird. The violins started a very slow minuet. "May I have this dance?" Gakupo asked.

I was about to reject him, but Rin answered for me. "She would love to!"

I was pushed into Gakupo's arms and felt very uncomfortable. Many women glared at me with envy as we started to circle around the floor. I had never danced a minuet before, either. Gakupo smiled intently at me. I avoided my gaze. _I don't like you. I don't like you. I don't like you._

The dance was cut short by Gakupo, possibly noticing his charms weren't working, hastily claimed he was late for something and left the party all together, giving his thanks to Rin.

I shivered as soon as he left. "Thanks, Your Majesty," I scooted back towards Rin.

"My pleasure. Any status reports?" She asked, clearly not getting my sarcasm.

I sighed. "It seems Kaito and Mik- th-the green-haired girl over there know each other. That's all know."

Rin glared at Miku. "I see. Thank you for the information." She changed her glare towards Daiki and Meiko, who were laughing and chatting with each other. "Which reminds me, meet me in my bedroom in ten minutes."

"You're leaving your own party early?" I asked.

"I'll be coming back just... come. Ten minutes. Got it?"

"Yeah. Got it." I answered.

Rin took her leave and approached Daiki. They exchanged a few sentences then walked out a side entrance together. My eyes narrowed with curiosity.

The next ten minutes were me stalking people.

I mainly stalked Miku, the woman Len loves. I tried to imagine the connection between Miku and Kaito. What if they...loved each other? That would not end well. That for a fact would not end well. But, I was sure that Kaito loved Rin. There was no other scenario to the proposal besides Kaito marrying Rin and us having a new king. My mind was fixated on hope.

But what would become of Len and Miku? Would they marry? My gut told me that it wasn't going to happen. Or did I just hope it wasn't going to happen? My mind and heart were in a conflict. Len was the _queen's brother._ I was just a Lady's Maid. Even if he was just a butler. Len also loved another woman. A much more beautiful woman. I tried to get all thoughts of Len and Miku and Kaito out of my head when it was time to meet Rin

I trudged up the flights of stairs-very uncomfortably with my heeled boots I might add. I walked down the familiar hallway and knocked Rin's door.

Heavy breathing emanated from behind the door. "Come." heavy breathing. "In" heavy breathing.

I did so briskly and what I found was shocking.

Rin stood above a bleeding corpse with black hair and a military uniform-Daiki, a sharp sword stained with blood was held in her right hand. The floors were dyed crimson.

"Take care of." heavy breathing from Rin. "the body."


	10. The Wagon

Red liquid, a fourteen-year-old girl with a bloody sword, and a dead body laid in front of me. I looked down at Diaki, his used to be sharp face gaunt with no expression. His skin was white as a ghost-the parts not dyed scarlet with blood that is. I slowly looked up at Rin.

She clasped on to the metal sword tightly, her beautiful dress untouched. Her expression was anger, but she quickly composed herself.

"I said." Rin lifted the sword in my direction. "Take care of the body." She took a step forward. I took a step back.

It was difficult to keep my wobbling knees from buckling. The shock ceased to release hold of me. I seemed to be unable to speak. I barely managed a nod.

"Good. Now, go down to the Josephine River and dump it." Rin commanded with a snarl.

My vocal chords started to function again. "W-what h-horse will I ridin-ing." I stuttered.

"Idiot! You can't take a horse! Someone might notice its disappearance!" she yelled.

"Well, someone might notice Daiki's disappearance too!" I tried to be charismatic, but my voice cracked on the last word.

"Don't back-talk me imbecile! Use a wagon out behind the castle, cover him up, and walk there!" She took another step forward. I stumbled back and crashed into the wall.

"Uh-uh ay sir?" I unsteadily walked a few paces toward Daiki's corpse. "Do I just... pick him up? Or...?"

"Yes, pick him up!" Rin walked past me and into the doorway. "I'm heading back down to the party. The party will be over when you get back." She tossed the sword into the corner. "And dump the sword as well."

She slammed the door behind her. I fell to my knees besides Daiki. His blank stare pierced through me. My dress my already stained with blood. I rolled the corpse onto its back and attempted to pick him up by the arms. _Attempted_.

His weight was too much and he collapsed to the ground and splashed blood farther my dress. I could see his open wound. It was straight through his heart. I nearly threw up. I breathed heavily with my hands on my knees. I looked over at the corner and the sword. I picked it up and shoved it into Daiki's empty sword holster. _She must have used his own blade to murder him._ I thought. _Murder._

I resolved to drag him by the legs. I managed to walk a few feet. The blood smeared the floor. _Screw it. I'll clean it up later._

It took me a half hour to drag Daiki down four flights of stairs (I used steep narrow back staircases) and into the dirt courtyard behind the castle. I found an empty wooden wagon near the back door. Having succeeded in throwing him in and covering him with potato-less potato sacks, I went back and cleaned up the blood streaks that only lasted down one hallway, but took another half hour nonetheless.

 _Josephine River._ It was a large river that ran down past many kingdoms including the Capitol. The only problem was, the closest bank to this river was ten miles away. _Walk. Ten miles. With a corpse. Through the streets of the Capitol._ Sounded lovely.

The loveliest thing about it was that as soon as I pulled the wagon out the front gates, it started to rain.

I pulled the wagon by the front prongs that a horse's harness would be attach to. I stood in the middle and pulled it behind me. The rain did not make it easy.

The sky was a depressing dark gray. The sun had already gone down but the moon's light was shrouded by clouds. Fogs rolled so that I soon couldn't see ten feet in front of me, but I walked. I knew where the bank was because one had to know directions in our kingdoms' strange government.

The road at first was made of stone, but when out of the center Capitol, the way was deteriorated to dirt. Mud crawled up on my legs the longer I walked. The smell of mud covered the smell of metallic stench of blood and a rotting corpse that was bumping behind me.

I passed by houses with candles in their windows. In a storm like that, no one would be outside or notice a girl trotting through with a wagon like a horse, but I tried to stay in the center of the road anyway. The last thing I wanted was to be caught with Daiki.

My forearms started to ache. It became harder and harder to walk, but I knew this had to be done. For my life and for Yuka's. Rin would kill her. And me.

What felt like a lifetime passed. It was only about ten hours. I finally made it to the river bank.

The land was swampier there. The mud reached half way up my knees. As soon as I could, I through with all the energy I had left the soaking wet wagon into the river. I watched as it quickly floated away with Daiki in it. A streak of rust trailed after it.

Every muscle in my body relaxed. I was soaked in mud and blood-some things cannot be washed off by the buckets of rain pouring down on me.

As if the sky knew what had been done, it stopped raining. I looked up and gave a weak smile. Just for the hell of it, I started laughing. I laughed and laughed a cynical humorless laugh that meant nothing and was for no one. I laughed for the sake of laughing.

My journey to home was less stressful. My smile soon disappeared as the hard reality sunk in. I made my way through the mud and the streets as the sun started to peak above the clouds.

I remembered the naivety of myself just a day before. _Oh, it was a great night alright._ I thought.

I walked on and on, no more wagon to bear me down.

When I got to the back steps of the castle, Len was there. He looked at me in all my glory-mud, sweat, blood. And he turned around and walked away. He _walked away_. I was consumed by a hatred for him.

"YOU KNEW WHAT SHE WAS GOING TO DO DIDN'T YOU! YOU KNEW DAMNIT!" I yelled at him as he continued. "DAMN YOU! DAMN YOU!" And I cried.

I sat down on the front steps and slept, not knowing what was to come.


	11. Red Riding Hood

I was woken with a jolt. The mid-morning sun blinded me as I looked up at the figure standing above me. It was Yuka.

"Mornin' AH-" I yawned. When I stretched I realized my back killing me. I did sleep on stone steps after all.

But, Yuka was in a state of shock. She scanned at my dress and my feet and my hair. I looked down and noticed my mud, rain, and blood soaked self.

"Wha-wha," she started.

"Oh, yeah, um..." I stood up and squinted at the horizon. "There is a perfectly reasonable story behind this. Sadly, I cannot tell you this story at the moment. But, trust me. What time is it?"

"Um. 10:30 I believe?" Yuka skeptically took a step back.

"Damn. Okay. I need to go now," I started towards the door. "Sorry! But don't worry it's not _my_ blood."

I bolted inside, quickly changed, ran up to Rin's bedroom, my skin still stained with mud. I knocked the door. I was heavily breathing from running.

"COME. IN," Rin yelled.

I hesitantly opened the door slowly. Rin was standing in the middle of the room, pacing back and forth.

"Why are you so late?!"

"Well, I did have to dispose of a 200 pound body in the rain without a horse to a river ten miles away."

"That would have only taken you ten hours. That would have put you back here at 10 o'clock! Precisely the time for you to come here and change me. So, why are you a half hour late!?" She trampling more than pacing.

"I-I slept for a half hour I guess."

"Idiot. There is no time for sleep. We must act now. Change me into something blue then check on that imbecile Daiki's wife. What was her name…?"

"Meiko?" I inquired.

"Yes, yes. Her. Make sure she isn't suspecting me. I heard you've met."

I nodded.

"By the way, today I will be proposing to Kaito. So, when we marry you shall not tell him any of what happened last night. Understood?"

"Understood."

I walked out into the cloudless afternoon a half hour later. My eyelids were heavy and my stomach was complaining. I trudged to the address Rin told me.

My hand was poised for knocking on the sliding door, but I noticed a red haired woman walking down the street past the house. I followed.

The now crowed street's noise drowned out the need to walk silently, but as we kept walking on and on onto more quiet paths and more rural areas, I felt the need to side-step behind a lone house in case she turned around. I kept a good thirty feet between us. Meiko seemed vacant as she walked. Her eyes always looked the direction of forward, as if in a trance. She stayed in the middle of the roads, never veering, never twitching.

Meiko was wearing what she wore at the party, a red flowing dress with gold lining the sleeves, neckline, and hemline. The sleeves reached her elbows and the bottom to her ankles. Her arms remained frozen to her side, never moving back or forth. Her hair was disheveled and no longer in a bun, but it only fell to her shoulders. Of what I could see of her skin, it was pale as a corpse. The only reason you would think that she was living was the fact that she was walking. A purse swung absently at her side.

I started to recognize the way we were taking. I only walked there the night before.

After about three hours of walking, she broke off into the woods. I followed suit.

Remaining silent was hard. I tiptoed between piles of leaves or twigs, trying only to walk on soil. Meiko's dress was being caught on low-lying branches, but nothing phased her.

 _Snap._

I looked down at my positioned feet. A twig was broke in two under my left foot. I slammed myself to the ground (as silently as physically possible) as Meiko swiftly turned around. I was somewhat behind a log. Breathing was too risky. I willed myself to move my eyes upward. Meiko looked to the left. Then to the right. Then turned around and continued to walk absently.

I noiselessly let out my breath, waited ten seconds, and numbly stood up. I could make out Meiko in between the shaded trees. I gingerly caught up.

Josephine River. I never had time to admire it before. On one side of the river was the forest, where I stopped and hid behind a wide tree. On the other side was a clearing that eventually reached a small village. A hill on the edge of the river led to the clearing, where Meiko was climbing. On top of this hill is a large willow tree. Beside the willow tree on this occasion, was a body.

Meiko approached the body and ran her hand down his face. Daiki's of course.

I felt a pang of guilt. _I'm sorry Meiko. I'm so sorry._

She whispered something. I couldn't quite make out what it was. She started to pull something out of her purse.

I made an inaudible scream. As I had fell to my knees for a better look, a sharp stick stabbed my calf. It started to bleed. I ripped off part of my skirt (two dresses destroyed in two days) and tied it around the wound.

I quickly looked when a heard a straining sound. Yes, _straining._ It was the sound of a rope swinging, with Meiko's throat at the end of it.

I bolted out of my hiding place and swam across the river. Meiko didn't make a noise of struggle, but of surprise when she saw me. I tried to pull down the noose, but it wouldn't budge. I looked down at Daiki. His sword was still at his side. I jumped down and wrestled the sword out.

I screamed as I slashed the rope down. Meiko fell like a rock. She began to gulp in air.

"Why. Let. Me. Die. Let. Me. Die." Huge pauses were between the words as she continued to breathe heavily.

"Sorry. I can't." I responded. She looked up at me with malice. "I doubt Daiki would like you doing that. I can't let you give up. No one should give up if a loved one dies. That only shows weakness. Live. I dare you to."

Her breathing steadied. "How did you find me anyway?" She asked.

"Well, um…" I ran across the river and into the woods again without another word.


	12. A Proposal

As I crashed through the tree line, my momentary adrenaline wore off and the sharp pain in my left leg began to rebound. I stole a glance back out to the river. Meiko was still sitting there, staring at the ground.

I unsteadily walked through the forest, every left step leaving me with a wince. For the second time in 48 hours, I made my way through the damp earth, busy streets, and finally the glorious castle gates. The immense pain spread from my torso down. My limp was causing me to take huge strides with my right leg.

I edged through the back door and abruptly stopped as I was about to run into someone who was exiting. _Len_.

I was leaning on my right thigh so much that my face was parallel with his stomach. I had to crane my neck upwards to see his face.

"What... what happened?" He asked, still not letting me though the narrow hallway.

"Do you really want to know?" I spat. "Let me through!"

"Oh, yeah. Sorry, sorry," He walked along the hallway until the first opening, the kitchen. "Sorry..." He muttered once more.

I sighed and confronted the extensive hall in front of me. White-knuckled, I took my first step with the left leg. I couldn't take it anymore. I fell to the ground.

"Damn!" I shouted as I shakily attempted to rest on one knee.

Len swiftly crouched down and extended a hand. "Need help?" he asked.

 _No. Maybe._ "Yes," I sighed.

My arm perched around his shoulders, we hobbled to them kitchen counter where I promptly rested my leg on top of the granite.

I shuffled through the cabinet in front of me and pulled out proper clean bandages. Len came in with a wet towel a few seconds later. He started to clean my wound.

"I got it. I got it!" I pulled the towel away. He immediately stepped back.

I looked down at my calf. I gawked at the amount of blood as I started cleaning it.

"What happened?" Len asked again.

"I fell on a sharp piece of bark, okay? How was I able to do that? Ask your sister." I started wrapping the bandages around the gash. The tan strips turned a musty brown instantly.

"She doesn't tell me everything you know. I didn't know she was going to ask you to get rid of the body," Len explained.

I remained silent.

"I'm sorry, okay? I have a duty to Rin and…" He trailed off.

We waited a minute in silence. I ripped of the bandage from the spool and fastened it together at both ends.

"One day," I started. The broken silence startled both of us. "You will have to choose. Your sister or your friends, morals, and pride. I sincerely hope you choose correctly."

I plopped down my leg and unsteadily took my leave.

***************  
It was early afternoon and luncheon was already past. I decided to go to my room and sleep. When I opened the door, Yuka was sitting on her bed, sowing.

She stood up as I closed the door behind me.

"Care to explain what the heck you were doing last night and this morning?" Yuka asked.

"I can't tell you everything, you understand?"

"Fine. But tell me something!"

I limped to my bed and jumped down on the soft mattress. "Rin…asked me…to dispose of… something." I struggled with the wording. "And…it took me a long time and… this morning I had to go… check. On. It. To make sure it was… disposed of properly."

"That's real specific, Mayu. What's with the bandage?" She gestured toward my calf.

"That would be because bark is sharp. I'm sorry, but I can't tell you more. It's for your safety. Trust me."

"I don't care about safety, I want to know why my friend is injured and why she has to worry about things like safety!" Yuka stood up. "I want to know what that witch of a queen is commanding you to do! Tell me!"

"I can't!" I screamed. She stormed out.

**********  
I slept for another hour before waking up from a nightmare.

It was around the time that I would dress Rin for dinner so, I stumbled up the deserted steps to the carpeted hallway I knew so well.

I paused as screaming echoed from behind Rin's door. _Not again._ I thought that she was busy murdering more people and went off the deep end. Upon closer listening, I noticed it was Rin who was screaming and it was more of anger than terror.

I didn't bother knocking as I hesitantly opened the door. Rin was yelling at some poor young messenger guard.

"-IS IMPOSSIBLE, YOU LIAR!" She was screaming, stomping along the floor. "YOU MUST HAVE MESSED UP! IDIOT!" She slapped him. Rin twitchingly turned her head towards me. "LEAVE MY PRESENCE!" She swiftly dismissed the guard.

He happily left the heathen's presence and practically ran out into the hall.

"What is going on?" I asked.

"What is going on? WHAT IS GOING ON? THAT IMBECILE OF A GUARD IS A LIAR AND… AND…and…" Rin shouted.

"What happened!? What did he say!?" I pressed.

"He said… Kaito. H-he rejected my proposal. He-he rejected my proposal. Why would he…?"

Rin was in a state of shock. She stumbled to her bed, sat down, and sobbed. I remained where I stood.

The sobbing only lasted for a few seconds. "He told me…" She started, mustering up her energy, "That Kaito was in love with someone else… she must be the green haired girl from last night therefore…" Rin was deducing, "If she dies than Kaito will love me…" She was putting two and two together, "Therefore, I have to kill her, but what did she look like? She left soon after I came back from…" Sadly, her two and two equaled death.

I stood in utter shock of what she just said. I knew she meant it. I've seen her kill. She will. She will kill Miku.


	13. Only a Lady's Maid

_Ba-dump._

 _Ba-dump._

 _Ba-dump._

I clenched on to the hard black seat as I nearly fell off the tenth time that hour. Crammed next to me was a mustached man in a black tailcoat. He held onto a looped leather reign that snugly was attached to two white horses.

I sat upfront with the man. Rin sat by herself in the warm large carriage behind us. Behind the carriage, twenty wooden luggage wagons were being pulled by more horses. I felt bad for the horses; I knew there pain.

We had been travelling for hours. My butt was killing me and the only thing I could stare at was empty fields.

Our destination: The land of green.

I had an idea of why Rin impulsively demanded this long trip only a day earlier, a week after the saving of Meiko. Miku. At the time, how she was going to find the green-haired beauty in a country full of green was a hope that I tried to latch onto. She couldn't find a single person in a vast country. She'd have to massacre everyone. How naïve.

We hit another rock. I slipped out of my chair again. I quickly grabbed the slippery railing and pulled myself up before I fell out completely. The valet laughed.

"Aren't used to carriages, huh?" He asked rhetorically.

"Is it that obvious?" I replied.

"No, no. Well, yes, but I didn't want to be rude."

"Thanks. Appreciate it."

"You know why we're going to the land of green?" He continued.

I stole a glance backwards. "Nope. I'm just the lady's maid."

"I see." We awkwardly resumed staring forwards for the next few hours.

**********  
The sky was dimming, and faint stars appeared in the sky. It was time for dinner.

Rin ate on a clean picnic blanket near the carriage. No _pleases_. No _thank yous._ She just sat there with a high head and ate quietly.

I had to sit with the rest of them. There were at least fifty staff. Most were just temporary for-hire horse caretakers. I sat next to the valet. We never exchanged names. We didn't seem it necessary. He was the valet. I was the lady's maid. Simple enough.

The food was poor. The morsels we had were a miniscule of dried bread and a small bowl of potato soup. We couldn't complain, though. Many were starving in the kingdoms. The air was cold and dry. It was officially autumn.

After an hour of waiting for Rin to slowly finish her meal, we all hopped on the carriages and wagons and continued on.

When the sky turned black except for the moon and stars, the valet stopped momentarily and switched places with someone else so he could sleep. I didn't like the next person as much. He was older and always wore a scowl. We rode on for another couple hours.

I managed to sleep for ten minutes before being jolted awake by a bump in the road. Only then did I get the first signs of the land of green.

First the smell.

Metal and rotten eggs. I recognized the smell right way. It was corpses. Bloody corpses of _dead people._ All I could think about was Daiki and how that smell could be so strong.

Others started to notice too. The new valet sniffed the air and cringed away. Grumbling from behind the carriage became loud complaining as we continued on to our destination.

Then, the crying.

The noise of whining staff drowned it out at first. But as we came closer, people began to hush up. It was soft. Then unmistakable. A grown man's sobs rung through the air like a sword to the heart.

Then, the first one.

She was lying on the ground at the edge of an empty field. Her eyes, lifeless. Her legs, lifeless. Her arms, lifeless. Her pretty turquois hair, lifeless. Her whole body was lifeless. A giant red stain crept across her chest and stomach. Her mouth was still partially open with shock.

A man with equal turquois hair knelt beside her and sobbed over her body. I wondered. _Father? Husband? Brother? Boyfriend? Son? Cousin? Uncle? Friend?_

She was not the only one.

As the capital village of the land of green was inching nearer, more girls appeared. Many with a man kneeling close to them. They became more frequent. All from the age of thirteen to fifty. I realized by the time was crossed into the capital who was responsible.

Inside was worse. Much, much worse. Bodies scattered every street corner. Crying could be heard non-stop. Most men stared at us roll by. Some swore at us as they held on to their deceased loved one. Small children were screaming for their mother of sister or even father. I tried to look at my feet. Tears rolled down my face.

We finally made it to a would-be-clean-if-it-wasn't-for-the-dead-bodies inn. The elderly lady who ran the inn (In her 70's I guessed) shakily gave Rin the keys to her best suite. Most of the workers slept in their wagons for the rest of the night, trying to ignore the smell and screaming. Some were crying themselves.

I was fortunate. I got a tiny room on the bottom floor. I threw down my small bag of clothes and my purse. I wished Yuka was there with me, but I also didn't want her to see this. I thought about Len. Miku was probably dead. Rin made sure of that. How would he feel? Upset that is love is dead? Happy that is sister fulfilled her wish? The evil smell wafted to my room.

I decided to puke out the window. My purse laid limply on a chair in the corner. I picked it up and shuffled through it. I pulled out the envelope. Opening it up, I could see the yellow cursive _1_ remained untouched through the last week. I couldn't wonder about it. I threw it out the window. I didn't have the necessity of wondering.

I was only a lady's maid.


	14. Inspection

The sky was a bright white. You could see everything clearly but could not pinpoint the sun. Everything was silence. Only a several remaining sobs echoed through the air.

I stepped out into the cold morning air from the cozy lit inn. A thin jacket laid across my shoulders.

My instuctions: Find Miku.

Or "Find that green slut" as Rin put it ten minutes beforehand when she was sitting with her legs crossed on a comfortable seat in the inn lobby. A terrified owner stood in the corner with a tray of tea.

As soon as I looked around, there were bodies, less than the previous night, but bodies nonetheless. Many men were sleeping next to their loved one, refusing to believe what happened. Guards stationed every street corner, swords at the ready.

The tapping of my shoes against stone echoed along the mourning streets. It was half of a ghost town. Girls' bodies were laid respectively down to being piled on top of each other. I shuddered and stepped forward to the first girl, sprawled against the sidewalk pavement.

She was not Miku. The deceased woman was in her thirties with a long pale face and yellow eyes. She was wearing a brown peasant's dress. A deep wound dug into her heart.

I staggered back and wanted to throw up again. I swallowed hard and moved on. Ten meters away, another innocent girl sat in a corner. She looked only eighteen. Her beautiful green hair hung down from a ponytail. Her throat was slit. _Not Miku._

I went on. Woman of all ages were fallen along the streets. The men who were huddled against someone scrambled away like animals as I came along. The smell was unbearable. It grew ten times worse over night as the bodies continued to decompose. There were orders from the soldiers not to move them into houses yet. Once I was finished with a block- having not identified any of them as Miku- a soldier yelled to bring them in. Men came from within houses on the block, the loyal huddlers stood up. They slowly picked up a body and slid back inside without words. Two children aided their father in transporting their mother.

I did this for another hour. Some were stabbed in the heart to their stomach. Some's throats were slit. Some were stabbed in the head. Without mercy, without question, the soldiers certainly massacred them.

Part of me wanted to find Miku already. I didn't want to see any more. But, another wanted to never find her. For Miku to have escaped so Rin's plan would be thwarted.

I was in the middle of inspecting my eightieth body when I heard distant female shouting. It was not soldier. I couldn't quite make out what it was saying. I shrugged and resumed my work. The shouting grew closer. I moved on to the next woman.

Her head was completely decapitated. I turned around, my hands pressed against my mouth and stomach. My stomach twisted. _Don't puke. Don't puke. Don't puke._

I did not puke.

All I could think about were the dead eyes and the blood and the stab wounds and the decapitation. My vision blurred and my lungs seemed not in its place. I had a massive headache and couldn't walk in a straight line. As the world spun around me, I crashed to the ground like a rock. Everything went dark.

Fainted, not puked.

I blinked my eyes open and the image in front of me slowly went into focus.

A woman with long white hair pushed back with a bow leaned over me. Her voice came distantly.

"Are you okay? Hello?" She asked.

I sat up and leaned on my arms. "Ah," I cringed, "Yeah. I just… fainted I guess."

"Oh. Understandably. I-I saw you lying on the ground and it looked like you breathing, so…" She looked sadly from left to right then helped me up.

"Thank you," I replied.

"You're welcome. My name's Yowane Haku." She extended her hand.

"Hidari Mayu." I shook it.

"Anyway, have you seen this woman?" She pulled out a picture from her back pocket.

It was a copy of the picture of Miku that Len had. I looked into her eyes. She was desperately edging the photograph closer to trigger recognition.

"I'm sorry. I've never seen her before," I lied.

"Are you sure?" She took a step forward.

I gulped hard. "I'm sure. Is she your friend?"

"Yes. She's missing and… I was hoping…" She trailed off.

"I see. Sorry. I hope you find her."

Haku looked disappointedly at the ground. "Okay. Well, I have to keep looking. Nice meeting you, Mayu."

"You too," I said consolingly.

After I was sure she was gone, I resumed the inspection.

Two hours later, I found a well.

At first, I thought nothing of it. It was a well.

I was exhausted from walking around and crouching over bodies. My throat was dry and my feet ached for a rest. After spotting the well, I leaned against it and began to lower the bucket for water.

It banged something.

I heard a small gasp, then silence. I pulled the bucket up again, thinking I hit a rock on the side and figuring the gasp was my imagination. I dropped the bucket back down, more gently. It definitely hit something bigger than a rock.

I peered down the hole. The darkness made it hard to see, but there was something…something green…a head!

A woman was down in the well. I gasped. She must have heard it.

"Don't hurt me! Don't hurt me!" She pleaded. "Don't kill me please!" Her voice echoed off the compacted walls.

"Calm down!" I whispered. "I'm not a guard! Calm down!" I could just outline her face in the darkness.

She let out a gasp of relief. "You aren't? Please don't tell them I'm here! They'll kill me!"

"I won't. Tell me your name."

"I'm Hatsune Miku. I swear I'm not the one they're looking for!"


	15. The Girl in the Well

_Liar._

I squinted my eyes in the darkness, trying to identify more of the girl's features. I started to recognize her from the picture. She was indeed Hatsune Miku. She was the one we had been looking for.

"Please!" Miku pleaded.

I remained silent, contemplating. I could turn her in or lie to Rin, saying that I found her dead. The second option was the moral one, but it came with risks. If a soldier found Miku or if Rin knew I was lying, I would be dead, Yuka would be dead, and my family would be dead.

"Miku, how did you get in there?"

"Well… my friend, Len, helped me. I think he works at the queen's castle."

 _Len._ Had he gone against his precious sister's wishes? It seemed he had. I made my resolve.

"Okay. I won't report you or anything. Just keep quiet. I know Len. I'll tell him you're still okay," I whispered down the hole.

"You know him? Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" She rejoiced.

"You're welcome, but keep it down!" I whispered more forcefully.

"Yes, of course!" She lowered her voice.

"I'm going to go now. Hang tight."

"Okay. Thank you," She repeated as I walked numbly away.

I walked back along the stone streets and the shadows of buildings back to the inn. I stood in the threshold of the front door for a few seconds, absorbing the heat, then tiptoed into the sitting room.

Rin sat like a porcelain doll on a pink flowered love seat in the middle of the room. The old innkeeper sat stiffly on a stool in the corner. Her shoulders tensed as I walked into the room. Rin sipped a cup of tea and placed it on the table in front of her.

"Back already? Did you find the witch yet?" Rin asked.

"Yep. Dead as a doornail five streets down." I avoided eye contact. She shifted her head so she could look me in the eyes. Mine dodged to another direction.

"I see. She is dead then. Am I correct?"

"Yes," I assured her.

"Well then, wait here." She stood up and glided to the right towards a door. She opened it and walked inside.

I heard muffled screaming and shuffling. I started to step toward the room when Rin came out, Yuka scrambling to get free in one arm, a silver dagger in the other.

"Yuka!" I yelled. Her mouth was tied with a white cloth. The same with her hands and ankles. She tried to kick her way free but, Rin was the same height as her and stronger than she looked. "What are you doing!?"

"Tell me the truth, now, Mayu. I'd hate to have to kill such a young girl," Rin said with clenched teeth, trying to keep Yuka from escaping. "Where is Miku? I know your lying…"

"She's dead! She's dead! I swear-"

"-On your best friend's life?" Rin held the dagger up to her throat. Yuka tried to scream louder. I tried to think. "Come one, Mayu. Would you trade your best friend's life for some _bitch._ "

"She's… she's…" Tears streamed down my face. I fell to the floor.

"TELL ME NOW!"

"SHE'S IN THE WELL! She's in the well alive… Len. He put her there. Please… let Yuka go."

Rin smirked and threw Yuka to the floor. "Thank. You. I don't expect any more lies from you, okay? Remember. I own you. I own her." She pointed at Yuka. "I own Len. I own everyone. Pack your bags. We're leaving in the morning."

Rin waltzed out the room, leaving me, Yuka, and the terrified innkeeper. I remained kneeling on the hard-wood floor then crawled to Yuka, still squirming to break free. The innkeeper escaped the room.

Sluggishly, I untied the sturdy knots. First her ankles, then her hands, then finally her mouth. After untying it, I ripped it off swiftly. She gasped for breath.

"I… I'm sorry. I'm sorry," I kept repeating, thinking if I kept talking, she would never have the chance to confront me. But, Yuka held up her hand.

"Please stop. It's not your fault. I was so curious about what you were doing, and… I never realized it could be something like this…"

I nodded. We sat there for a few minutes in silence. "Oh God. Len."

"Oh yeah, I was meaning to ask about that. What's up with him? I'm your hostage buddy now. You have to tell me," Yuka managed a weak smile and an attempted joke.

"Well, Len _is_ Rin's twin brother, but…" I started.

"Woah, woah, woah, woah. _Whoah._ Stop right there. I change my mind. This is already too confusing for me. I'll just trust you on this one." She patted me on the back. "But, uh, what's your relationship with him?"

"Friend, kind of? Well, I did have a crush on him for a while there, but now… enemy? I don't know. Len loved Miku so…"

"Who's Miku? You know what? Don't tell me. I don't wanna know anymore. Just, if you're ever in trouble because of this situation, tell me. I'll help out however I can."

"Okay, yeah." I sighed. We went silent again.

A guard stepped in the room a moment later saying a carriage for Yuka arrived to take her back to the Capital and the castle. She left and I remained.

I fell asleep and had a nightmare about bodies and wells and Yuka and Len. I was almost happy when I was shaken awake until I recognized the eyes staring at me. _Len._

"What did you do?" was the first thing he said. He was wearing his footman uniform.

"Ah!" I scrambled to stand and backed up. "I…"

"I have to do it! I have to kill her! You are making me kill her!" He accused.

"I-I'm not making you do anything! You don't have to kill Miku! It's your choice!" I retaliated.

"Well, if you could've kept your mouth shut, then I wouldn't have to choose!"

"I told you! This day would come and you would have to choose between your friends and your 'lover' or your psychopathic sister who doesn't give a crap about you!"

His face turned red. "She care about me! Unlike you, _friend._ She could have lived!"  
"No she couldn't've! Your sister and Miku can't live at the same time. That was decided the second she fell in love with Kaito!"

"That's wrong!" He yelled and stormed out of the room.


	16. Wind and Flame

The Capitol was a melting pot of rumors.

Every servant whispered, and every eye darted when I walked into the room. Yuka assured me that they were just being rude, but as the first day back at the castle progressed, the weight of guilt grew unbearable.

I hated to admit it, but I believed I would be partially responsible for Miku's death and all the deaths of the women in the land of green. I could have saved them if I just gave Rin Miku's name before the massacre. Still numb, I tried to act composed at supper that night.

I closed my eyes in patience as the whispers around me became less concealed. Yuka patted my hand beside me. I could tell they were talking about her too, but, mostly me. Len's seat was vacant across the table.

"-and killed them herself." I heard the maid on the other side of me speak more clearly than the others.

Slowly, the conversation became more comfortable for everyone but Yuka and myself.

"I think she's helping the queen."

"-that traitor."

"How much blood is on her hands-"

"Maybe Mayu's being forced-"

"I'd rather die than help that queen bitch."

I took a deep breath. I didn't want to make a scene, but I took a page out of Len's book.

Standing up, I slammed my fists against the table. Glass and silverware clinked and silence rang through the air.

I looked down , not wanting to see anyone in the eye, and yelled, "SHUT UP YOU GOSSIPING PIGS!"

I pushed the table as I stomped to my bedroom. Yuka followed. As I walked away, I could hear the more excited whispers of the servants. I only fueled the fire.

I sat on my bed and rubbed my face. Yuka sat next to me. We sat in silence for a moment.

"It doesn't matter what they say, you know?" Yuka mumbled. "I know what you did, and I don't think it was selfish or anything, so it doesn't matter what they think."

I sighed heavily. "Yeah, I guess so. Thanks for staying by me." I stood up and walked to the door. "I'm going to get some air."

I left Yuka and sat firmly on the small stone steps of the back entrance. The moon was out, and I had another hour before undressing Rin for bed. The wind blew steadily as I caught the first sound of horses.

Two brown horses appeared in view. They clopped on then abruptly stopped. A single figure hopped off and moved towards the back door, its head down.

The lone light above the stone steps revealed blonde hair and a dirty butler suit approaching me.

Len gasped as he finally noticed me. I sat in the way of him and the door.

His head still hung low, he said quietly, "Please move out of the way."

"Did you do it?" I asked.

He paused. "Yes, I did."

"I was really hoping you didn't." I stepped out of the way and let him pass. When he did, I saw the pained expression across his face.

"I'll do anything for my sister." he whispered and stepped through the threshold into the castle.

I heard the door slam behind me and crossed my legs. The moon was covered by clouds and it was extremely hard to see. My stomach lurched at the smell of smoke, but it soon faded. I sat there for an hour, waiting for the numbness to go away.

It was still not faded as I realized the time and dragged my feet up the stairs and into Rin's bedroom. She was standing by the window, the curtain was closed, but she peeled it away ever so slightly to see past it.

"Your Majesty," I scowled behind her back.

"Not now, peasant," she replied, gazing unwaveringly out the window.

"Aren't you going to bed?" I rolled my eyes. I really wasn't tolerating her obscurities.

"A moment!" she yelled more forcefully. "I have a feeling…"

We remained there for five more minutes until she finally detached herself from the glass and spun towards me.

"Never mind. Why do you look so angry?" she asked.

"Your. Majesty," I replied slowly. "You can threaten me, torture me, or kill me, but you cannot make me _like_ you."

"But, what have I done wrong?" she continued sarcastically.

"Hm. Well, let's see. You murdered a whole city."

"Child's play compared to some of my predecessors."

"Nearly killed my best friend."

"Grow up."

"And made your brother kill the woman he loved."

"Oh, darling," she said like she was older than me. "The woman Len loves is me and only me. He'll do anything for me. Not Miku. Not himself. And not you."

My face turned red, and I was ready to retaliate, but held my tongue. I knew what she was doing; she was making me get angrier even though there was nothing I could do. She was the queen. Len was the pawn. I was a pawn. Everyone else was a pawn besides Kaito. Kaito was the opposing side's king and Rin wanted him.

"All out of words?" she asked.

I opened my mouth to speak when we heard stomping from the hallway. I swiftly turned towards the door. Len burst in, gulping air. His hands fell to his knees as he struggled for breath. It looked like he ran a mile.

"Outside," he gasped. "They're coming for you, Rin."

Rin rushed to the window. I followed. Craning my neck, we gasped at the same time. The flames came over the horizon like a rising sun. Then the screams started. Smoke, ash, and fire engulfed the Capital.

"Shit…" I whispered.

A white horse appeared amidst the flames. On it was a man with blue hair wearing a mask. A black horse with a red haired woman also wearing a mask followed. Then many more horses and many more men. They all wore masks only for their eyes. Each wielding a sword, spear, or axe. Rin hastened open the window.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT?!" she screamed.

"THE QUEEN!" a man with turquois hair yelled.

Everyone started screaming a war cry for the queen. Everyone except the man in blue and the woman in red.


	17. Twins

The engulfing flames shadowed the blue-haired man. It was no challenge to see that it was Kaito, though, and by the look on Rin's face, I could tell she knew too.

Finally, Kaito finally spoke. "You are surrounded." his voice boomed but still sounded calm. "Every guest and servant may leave the building or they will be executed along with their queen. You have ten minutes."

Rin and Len turned to me.

"Well. I'm going to go now." I started to walk towards the door.

"Wait, Mayu!" Len called. "You have to stay!"

"What are you talking about? Hell no! I'm not suicidal!" I resisted.

"But, I have a plan!"

I faced him. "You have twenty seconds."

I noticed a satchel around his chest. He pulled something bushy and yellow out of it. As he smoothed it out I could see it was a wig.

"What is that?" Rin chimed in.

"It's a wig."

"And what are you doing with it?" she continued. My eyes widened as I begun to understand.

"Mayu. Will you stay and help me? You're the only one that can make me undeniably look like her."

"What are you talking about?" Rin shouted.

"Switch places," I said.

She looked hesitant, but self-preservation must have taken over. "That could work."

"You make me sick."

The double doors to the bedroom slammed open, and my heart stopped. I turned, expecting to see a masked man with a sword pointed at us, but it was Yuka instead.

"Come on! We have to go!" she yelled. "There isn't much time. Let's get out of here!"

"Mayu. Please," Len grabbed my arm.

"Mayu, Come _on_." Yuka pressed.

I stood there for what seemed like an eternity, but only amounted to fifteen seconds. I looked into Len's eyes. He was desperate, but I would I have enough time? Why would I help the queen escape? Why would I risk my life for this? The cons outweighed the pros heavily. But, in the last second...

"Yuka. Go," I commanded.

"What?! Are y-"

"GO!" I screamed. She looked at me and saw I was serious. She was like a bunny who was punched in the stomach. Waiting another second, hoping that her presence would make me change my mind, she left. I watched my best friend walk away for possibly the last time.

"Than-" Rin began.

"Shut up," I cut her off. I decided that it wasn't for her. It was for Len. No matter the shit he'd done or the shit I'd done, my feelings for him remained. This was my redemption. This was my penance. This was what I was meant to do.

I rushed to the closet. We had only seven minutes remaining. I threw a random dress at Len. "Change. Now." He immediately followed directions and walked behind the changing screen. I started taking out make up and brushing the wig. Len came out. "Rin. Change into his old clothes. Len. get over here." They again did so immediately. In hindsight, it was quite ironic, ordering around Pride herself.

I slammed Len into the seat and adjusted the wig to align with his skull. I pinned it in watertight and began makeup. He did look a lot like Rin even though the gender difference. Rin came out as I was in the middle of my rushed makeup effort. I then slammed Rin into the seat and started cutting her hair.

"Whoa!" she objected.

"Wanna live or not?"

She shut up. I tried to duplicate Len's hair style. We were done with two minute left. There was barely any time for goodbyes. That is when it hit me. Fully hit me that Len was going to die and Rin was going to live. The ultimate sacrifice. _I will do anything for my sister._

It surprised me when I saw that RIn was on the verge of tears. "I guess this is goodbye," Rin shakily whispered.

"I guess it is," Len replied. They stood there for a second then hugged.

They pulled away. Rin wore a cloak and walked to the threshold of the doors of the bedroom. "And Mayu. Thank you." She escaped.

I turned back to Len and continued his makeup. Rin was already pretty flat-chested so Len didn't need much to give the impression of breasts. Time ticked like a heart beat. I just finished when I heard heavy feet slam down on the marble floor in the hall.

I panicked. I had thought I would have enough time to escape. Len pointed to the wardrobe. I nodded and hugged him. The wardrobe doors closed as the bedroom doors opened. It only sounded like one man.

I slightly opened one of the wardrobe doors to see what was going on. I didn't breath and didn't blink. A blue haired man stood facing Len. I saw several other masked men in the doorway.

"It's her," Kaito said. He drew his sword and lined it with his throat. _Is he going to execute her-or him-now?_

"It's tea time," he whispered in a high voice. It would have convinced me.

It looked like it tempted him, but he pulled back his sword anyway. "Arrest her," he commanded the men in the hall. "This is my kingdom now."

Two men (both with aqua hair) grabbed hold of Len and dragged him into the hallway, being purposefully careless of bumping him into the door. Tears rolled down my face. Kaito followed, but the other men came in.

They started scavenging the drawers and pulling out expensive jewelry, laughing and exclaiming how much they could cost. They took pillows, makeup, bed sheets, a _lamp._ My heart stopped as a man approached the wardrobe. I slid back the door, but they immediately opened.

The masked man smiled as he looked down at me. "We finally found one."

I was pulled out by the arms and he held them behind my back. "You are under arrest for aiding the bitch who killed my wife, daughter, and sister."

He laughed. They all laughed.


	18. Our Boat

My execution my scheduled three days after the invasion of the Capitol.

I overheard from the guards outside my cell that nearly nobody was killed in the fire. Nearly. Apparently, the whole country knew what was going to happen and most able-bodied men were even enlisted to help. Or so I heard.

There were three other cells in the room I was kept in. To my right was Len. He was the only other occupant when I first arrived under the courthouse which was thee dungeons. He (She) didn't talk. It was either because he didn't want the guards to hear his fake voice or there was nothing to say. He flinched when he noticed I was the new prisoner being dragged in.

The rebels threw me to the ground into the cell next to Len's. They spit on me and left. The old royal guards were now working for the new royalty: Kaito and Meiko. I heard that they were splitting the lands in half. I listened to the guards' conversations a lot.

My cell was small. About 3 meters by 3 meters. The back was stone and the rest was made with parallel black metal bars. I could touch Len if I wanted to, but I didn't. The ground was cold stone and the torches outside the cells were the only light source. Twice a day, the guards brought scraps of bread and threw them to the floor for me, Len, and the other two prisoners.

Later the night I was brought in, two girls were pushed into the cell left of mine and the cell left of that one. One prisoner had long flowing pink hair that fell past her waist. Her face was grave and even in the dim light you could tell she was crying. My guess was that she was eighteen. She walked slowly and unsteadily like she was going to faint with the chains around her wrists and ankles. She wore a simple but expensive dress. Her name was Luka.

The other had short green hair was exactly the opposite of Luka. She walked swiftly and composed even with the chains. She seemed indignant if anything. She looked my age. The only sign that she was nervous was that her hands shook slightly. Her name was Gumi.

Luka was put next to my cell and Gumi next to hers. Len still didn't talk, didn't even look up at the new guests. The guards threw them down as well. Luka broke down sobbing and Gumi exclaimed, "Dirty bastards."

One man shot her threatening glance and left. Luka was still making a ruckus. I reached my hands through the bars and patted her shoulder. I felt a little silly considering I was in the same situation as her and nobody was giving a crap how I felt ( _LEN),_ but I comforted her anyway.

Gumi watched this scene, expressionlessly. Len remained silent. "It's okay. It's gonna be okay," I whispered.

The crying slowly ceased and she rose her head. "No it isn't" she said, waited a few moments, then added, "My name is Luka."

"Mayu," I said and backed away from the bars.

"Gumi," the green haired girl announced.

"You two aren't servants. Why are you here?" I asked.

Luka didn't look like she was going to talk anytime soon, so Gumi spoke up, "I lived here in the Capitol. My husband refused to join the rebel army and..." she paused. Her poker face cracked. "He was killed and now I'm here."

We all fell silent. Luka finally spoke, "I am... I _was_ a diplomat in the Land of Green. I don't really know why I'm here." tears streamed down her face again. "They killed my fiancee and captured me, saying something about it not being fair that I was alive and their families were dead." She twisted a gold ring with a gemstone around her finger.

Silence again. "Why are you here?" Gumi asked.

"Found in the castle," I put simply. "With her." I nodded my head towards Len.

"Wait is that...?" Gumi started.

I nodded.

"That little bitch!" Gumi spat.

"Calm down!" Luka shouted. "It doesn't matter who we were or what we have done anymore. We're all dead anyways. We're in the same boat."

"And our boat is sinking," I added.

"Our boat is being eaten by a giant octopus," Gumi added.

Luka started to laugh. I laughed too. So did Gumi. We laughed until we remembered that our boat _was_ sinking. It was sinking very fast.

The next day, all Gumi, Luka, and I did was talk. We talked about random things that didn't matter. We tried to keep our minds off things. Len didn't say a thing.

The second day was less talking. It wasn't my execution day. It was theirs. Gumi and Luka were dragged out by their arms. I cried silently. I didn't regret getting to know them at all.

Before the guards came, Luka placed something small in my hand and closed it. "Please. If you somehow get out of here, Find my body and put this by mt grave. They'll steal it off my body if I keep it."

I opened my hand and the gem from Luka's engagement ring glimmered. I nodded, even though I knew I was going to die the next day.

"Thank you."

They were marched out and ten minutes later, I heard a bell ringing. I knew that it was over. I clutched the ring in my hand.

*********  
The last day. I was out of tears. Len and I were the only prisoners left. Finally, a few minutes before we left, Len spoke.

"I'm sorry."

I jumped at the sound of his voice. "I know, I know."

"Why did you help me?" He asked.

"I...don't know," I replied. "I just thought that it was what I was meant to do."

"No one's meant to die this way."

Ten guards barged into the dungeons. They dragged Len and me out more roughly than Luka and Gumi. I tried to walk steadily down the corridor that looked into the courtyard. A large crowd waited for their queen and her accomplice to die. On a large podium, Kaito and Meiko sat on thrones. Two large contraptions were erected from the center. A guillotine and a gallows.


	19. Execution

The crowd jeered at Len and me as we marched towards the center of the courtyard. The nine guards around me stopped anyone from kicking me as I walked by. We passed people from all lands, but I was most heartbroken when I saw Yuka standing up front with the other servants. They would have a front row view. I tried to hold my head up high. Wondering why there was both a guillotine _and_ a gallows, I was told to stand in front of the new monarchs.

Kaito and Meiko, sitting on their golden thrones, glared at us for a moment. Meiko avoided my gaze and focused on Len. Kaito, no longer wearing a mask, stood and the people quieted.

"You are here today, Rin Kagamine and Mayu Hidari, because you have been tried and found guilty of murder, accomplice of murder, and treason against your new government." He paused as the crowd shouted insults. "Rin Kagamine, you shall be executed by guillotine, like a proper queen should," he added, "And Mayu Hidari you shall be hung by the neck until you are dead by the gallows." The crowd cheered.

I looked at Len. He looked at me. There was a sadness in his eyes and yet he still seemed determined. He would die for his sister. And so would I.

Our gaze was broken when the guards hauled Len toward the guillotine. I wished we could have said goodbye. I was turned around by the guards to view the execution. I tried to close my eyes, but the guard to my right slapped me hard every time I did. Len lowered his head onto the stock. They locked him. Kaito stood again. The baron had his hand in place on the rope to release the shining blade.

"You have the right to final words," he said.

Len closed his eyes. "Oh. It's tea time."

 _Shhhhhk._

The bells rung. I couldn't suppress my tears. The crowd must have let out jubilant cries, but it felt like all noise was blocked out. I thought I was going to faint. Blood dripped down from the wooden platform. I couldn't look at his body. I closed my eyes and didn't care how many times I was slapped. I spit out some blood from my mouth. I didn't have much time to mourn.

The guards ushered me up to the platform. I saw Yuka and the others look at me sadly. Yuka was crying. _I'm so sorry._ I thought. _I didn't mean for you to be left alone._ They were the only ones not cheering. I stumbled over my shoes as I saw Rin with the other servants. She was also crying. To the rest of the world, she was Len. I was the only one left who held her secret. How convenient. All the evidence buried by a blade and a rope.

I stood erect next to the looming gallows. Countries beneath me were joyously shouting for my blood. Kaito stood once more.

"You have the right to final words."

I gasped a deep breath. I had rehearsed this in my mind many times. I held my head high and tried to look Kaito in the eye.

"You call it treason, being in the same room with the at the time queen. You gave me a trial, but I never attended," I exhaled shakily. "Now, I am going to die because you need more people to blame it on. Sounds like something your predecessor would do." I gave a twitchy smirk.

Kaito stepped forward loudly and indignantly. "You still dare to defy the crown, now?! When Her Majesty Meiko told me about you, I thought you would help us, but now you show your true colors."

"Maybe," I went on, "Or maybe you've just become color blind."

The guards pushed me towards the hatch under the rope. They tied my hands and feet. Before they put the sack over my head, I gave my final defiance.

"Ironic, isn't it, Meiko?! I saved you from the rope that kills me now! YOU'RE WELCOME!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. Meiko flinched as the bag was pulled over my head and the rope tightened around my throat. My hair. My father once told me that it was a sign that I would unite the kingdoms. I had. Against me.

I was waiting. My whole body shook with fear. I was terrified when I heard the latch unhinge and the floor fell beneath me.

A snake coiled around my throat. My head felt like it was gone and my chest struggled up and down. The pure fear didn't help. I gasped for breath. My heart was in my throat, and I felt my lungs being constricted and my gasps of air becoming slower. I thought I was going to fall into oblivion any second. My body contorted to break free. The light that leaked through the sack became darker.

I fell.

My feet scuffed the ground. All the light was gone from the bag. _Am I dead?_

A large hand yanked me up. I realized the rope was still there. Light flooded in again. Hushed whispers hung in the air. Someone ripped off the noose and the sack. The scene blinded me.

Everyone's gasping faces. Kaito straight-up speechless face. Meiko, with a bow in one hand. She was in the firing position, but there was no arrow. My face was blue and coughing. I turned around. The noose was cut at the end. I put two and two together.

"I'm," coughing, "alive?" I asked.

"I now owe you nothing," Meiko said loud and clearly. The first words I had heard from her since the day at the river.

"What the hell is this?!" Kaito yelled.

"Let. Her. Go." Meiko commanded.

I was pushed off the podium. Yuka came out of the crowd and hugged me. Still dazed and confused, I hugged her back. I was alive. I was alive. I was alive.

I felt like the place was dark, but it wasn't. It was a bright yellow. I could still feel Yuka's hand grasped against mine. Still felt the scarlet fever eating my body, but I was fine. It had been so many years since Rin. Since Len. But, I remembered so clearly. There was a chair in the middle of the room. I sat there and waited. Waited for what was to come.

 _I hope I see you again soon, Len._


End file.
